gargle

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: gar=gle

CIDE DICTIONARY

gargle, n. 

 See Gargoyle.  [1913 Webster]

gargle, v. t. [F. gargouiller to dabble, paddle, gargle. Cf. Gargoyle, Gurgle.].

•  To wash or rinse, as the mouth or throat, particular the latter, agitating the liquid (water or a medicinal preparation) by an expulsion of air from the lungs.  [1913 Webster]
•  To warble; to sing as if gargling  Waller.  [1913 Webster]

gargle, n. 

 A liquid, as water or some medicated preparation, used to cleanse the mouth and throat, especially for a medical effect.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

gargle, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. (also absol.) wash (one's mouth and throat), esp. for medicinal purposes, with a liquid kept in motion by breathing through it.
2 intr. make a sound as when doing this.
--n.
1 a liquid used for gargling.
2 sl. an alcoholic drink.

Etymology

F gargouiller f. gargouille: see GARGOYLE

THESAURUS

gargle

baptize, bath, bathe, bib, dentifrice, douche, draft, drain the cup, dram, drench, drink, drink bottoms-up, drink deep, drink hard, drink off, drink up, drop, flush, flush out, follow strong drink, grog, guzzle, holystone, imbibe, irrigate, jigger, jolt, knock back, lap, lap up, lather, launder, lave, libation, mop, mop up, mouthwash, nip, peg, potation, potion, pull, quaff, rinse, rinse out, ritually immerse, round, round of drinks, scour, scrub, scrub up, shampoo, shot, shower, sip, sluice, sluice out, snifter, snort, soak, soap, sponge, spot, suck, sup, swab, swig, swill, syringe, tipple, toivel, tooth powder, toothpaste, tope, toss down, toss off, tub, wash, wash out, wash up, wet

ROGET THESAURUS

gargle

Water

VB be watery, reek, add water, water, wet, moisten, dilute, dip, immerse, merge, immerge, submerge, plunge, souse, duck, drown, soak, steep, macerate, pickle, wash, sprinkle, lave, bathe, affuse, splash, swash, douse, drench, dabble, slop, slobber, irrigate, inundate, deluge, syringe, inject, gargle.